Ted Poley - Danger Danger Frontman Returns with Beyond the Fade!

Ted Poley, initially the drummer in Prophet, gained great acclaim in the 1980s as the vocalist of Danger Danger. With the group he released a number of well received records featuring hit singles and videos, becoming fairly popular and successful as a result. But he has continued on over the years both with a solo career and records with other bands/projects. And he is certainly not done yet. In the past two decades, he has done everything from Danger Danger reunions, to music for the Sonic the Hedgehogvideo game series!

Beyond the Fade is the latest solo album from Poley, following Collateral Damage (2006) and Smile(2007). Like many of his contemporaries from this era, Poley has joined forces with Frontiers Records and producer/musician Alessandro Del Vecchio, who contributes drums and keyboards to the new album. Other musicians on the album include Anna Portalupi on bass and Mario Percudani on guitars.

I am definitely a fan of Poley’s music, though I would be lying if I said I owned or have heard every single thing he has ever played on. That said, I was certainly excited to hear what he was up to these days. It is interesting to see how many classic rockers are teaming up with Frontiers Records; the results are often staggering, and show us that these musicians are more than capable of holding their own in times that have not exactly been the kindest to classic hard rock/melodic rock/AOR artists. Frontiers has become a stable for these artists, and in many ways, resurrected their careers.

Beyond the Fade is the latest solo album from Danger Danger frontman Ted Poley.

Having been out of the loop when it comes to Poley’s career for a while, I was eager to listen to a new release from him. Would this be something similar to the Danger Danger classics, or something totally different? Danger Danger released some great raunchy hard rock hits back in the day and their share of power ballads, but Beyond the Fade takes a turn in a completely opposite direction, much more of a melodic/AOR release than sleaze/glam rock. Poley proves to be a master songsmith when it comes to these musical styles. Fans who want something harder and heavier may be disenfranchised by what they hear here, but those with an open mind who are curious to see what the Danger Danger frontman has been up to lately may find themselves pleasantly surprised by the end results here! You get a nice mix of guitar-driven AOR and slower, more melodic ballads on this release; the songs are diverse enough to keep your attention, yet work as a cohesive whole.

One thing worth mentioning is Poley’s vocals; this guy sounds just as good here as he did back in his 80s prime. Many singers from his era have voices that have not aged so well, but I can gladly say that he has apparently taken good care of his vocal chords, proving to everyone that he is no mere one trick pony. The backing band is superb as well, including Alessandro Del Vecchio, who you have heard on countless releases from Frontiers artists.

A surprising but impressive release, Beyond the Fadeis a fantastic collection of melodic AOR-style rock, completely the opposite end of the spectrum from the sleaze Mr. Poley once made with Danger Danger. Longtime fans of Poley are strongly encouraged to check out this new release and see what he has been up to. Recommended!

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Taylor T Carlson
Assistant Editor/Senior Staff Writer
Taylor T. Carlson was born August 17, 1984, and has called the Vegas Valley home his entire life. A die-hard fan of classic rock and metal music, Taylor has been writing album and concert reviews since he was 16 years old, and continues to do so, having done well over 1,000 reviews. He is also a fan of video gaming and cinema, and has reviewed a number of games and films as well, old and new alike. His thorough and honest (some would say brutally honest) reviewing style has won him the respect of hundreds of music fans and musicians alike, both local and abroad, and the ire of just as many others. Despite being one of the youngest attendees at classic hard rock/metal shows around Vegas, he is also one of the most knowledgeable, having gained the unofficial nickname of “The Eddie Trunk of Las Vegas.”
In addition to reviews, Taylor has written and self-published three books on classic hard rock bands, and is a regular participant in rock and roll trivia contests.
Taylor also holds a masters degree in special education from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), and has appeared on the hit History Channel television series Pawn Stars. His dream is to be able to one day make a living from writing music books and reviews.